SoFA Absence Bill

[Emsworth]

SoFA Absence Bill

1. If the SoFA or DSoFA has either not closed the voting booth or has not shown that they are certifying the results within one half hour of the end of voting and have not assigned a replacement to do so, those in the aforementioned situation shall be replaced by the highest office holder who is not a candidate in the federal election in the following list to certify the election results:

1. Vice-President
2. PPT of the Senate
3. Secretary of State
4. Secretary of Defense
5. Secretary of the Treasury
6. District 1 senator
7. District 2 senator
8. District 3 senator
9. District 4 senator
10. District 5 senator
11. Mideast Regional senator
12. Midwest Regional senator
13. Northeast Regional senator
14. Pacific Regional senator
15. Southeast Regional senator

2. For every five minutes after the half hour time limit for the SoFA/DSoFA has elapsed, each said office holder shall have five minutes to show they are certifying the results, before moving onto the next office holder on the list.

Sponsor: Sen. True Independent

[Ebowed]

Section 2 strikes me as poorly written, but I can't think of any suggestions at the moment.

For Section 1, there would be a redundancy as the President pro tempore would inevitably be one of the people mentioned in spots six through fifteen on that list.

[Emsworth]

I don't know that the bill will really be necessary. The SoFA, and (if the SoFA is absent) the Deputy SoFA, and if necessary the Pressident, have the authority to designate another person to certify election results. I think that we should trust that from now on, the SoFA will appoint another person if he is himself unable to serve.

[True Democrat]

Section 2 strikes me as poorly written, but I can't think of any suggestions at the moment.

For Section 1, there would be a redundancy as the President pro tempore would inevitably be one of the people mentioned in spots six through fifteen on that list.

It was kind of hard to write section two.  Do you get my intent though?

[ilikeverin]

One half hour?  Are you insane?

Anyway, Alcon will probably be the locker/unlocker this time around (Pacific time zone and all), but... I mean... whatever happened to people reading the first post on the thread which said that voting would start at midnight Friday and end midnight Sunday?

[Ebowed]

It was kind of hard to write section two. Do you get my intent though?

I get the intent, yes.

[True Democrat]

One half hour?  Are you insane?

Anyway, Alcon will probably be the locker/unlocker this time around (Pacific time zone and all), but... I mean... whatever happened to people reading the first post on the thread which said that voting would start at midnight Friday and end midnight Sunday?

It just means that you have to either close the voting booth or mention that you are certifying the results within one half hour of its closing.  You don't actually have to have the results yet.

[ilikeverin]

One half hour? Are you insane?

Anyway, Alcon will probably be the locker/unlocker this time around (Pacific time zone and all), but... I mean... whatever happened to people reading the first post on the thread which said that voting would start at midnight Friday and end midnight Sunday?

It just means that you have to either close the voting booth or mention that you are certifying the results within one half hour of its closing. You don't actually have to have the results yet.

Assuming secret voting takes effect, that could be illegal (as the only way I can think of to show that you're certifying the results is showing votes).

Or, at the least, it could make things complicated.

[Ebowed]

I believe as the Secretary of Forum Affairs has voiced concern with this bill, and the Vice President claims it to be unnecessary, I see no reason to warrant its passage.  I therefore announce my opposition to this bill.

[Alcon]

I plan to stay Deputy SoFA until the day I die, and I don't plan to miss any elections, but I encourage this bill.  Although I would like to retain certification power.

EDIT:  Oh, wait.  No, I don't encourage this bill.  Why do I post at 1 AM?

[True Democrat]

One half hour? Are you insane?

Anyway, Alcon will probably be the locker/unlocker this time around (Pacific time zone and all), but... I mean... whatever happened to people reading the first post on the thread which said that voting would start at midnight Friday and end midnight Sunday?

It just means that you have to either close the voting booth or mention that you are certifying the results within one half hour of its closing. You don't actually have to have the results yet.

Assuming secret voting takes effect, that could be illegal (as the only way I can think of to show that you're certifying the results is showing votes).

Or, at the least, it could make things complicated.

Well, secret voting will still take a while to take affect, so this is basically a plan until secret votingh takes affect.

[CheeseWhiz]

I encourage Senators to vote against this bill for the reasons stated by SoFA Ilikeverin and Vice President Emsworth.

[Sam Spade]

Normally, I don't comment on legislation.

However, I will agree that now that Alcon is on the job, this bill is considerably unnecessary; if he weren't, I would disagree considering the past actions of the SoFA.

[MasterJedi]

Normally, I don't comment on legislation.

However, I will agree that now that Alcon is on the job, this bill is considerably unnecessary; if he weren't, I would disagree considering the past actions of the SoFA.

I doubt Alcon will always be on the job. If we don't need this now we might need it in the future.

[Ebowed]

Normally, I don't comment on legislation.

However, I will agree that now that Alcon is on the job, this bill is considerably unnecessary; if he weren't, I would disagree considering the past actions of the SoFA.

I doubt Alcon will always be on the job. If we don't need this now we might need it in the future.

This is similar to the Declaration of Candidacy Bill in that it is completely unnecessary.  Section 2 of this legislation doesn't even make sense, really, even if I understand its intent.

[True Democrat]

I do not see why anyone is really opposed to this bill.  It only comes into effect if the SoFA or DSoFA does not show that they are online within one half hour of an election's end.

[Ebowed]

To quote Secretary Ilikeverin:

"One half hour?!  Are you insane?"

People could just read the part of the official ballot that says "Any votes posted after voting has closed will not be counted..."

[Emsworth]

The question is on final passage; all those in favor, say Aye; those opposed, say No.

[True Democrat]

Aye, though I expect it to fail.

[MasterJedi]

Aye, and I also expect it to fail.

[DanielX]

A B S T A I N !

Frankly, it's not a bad idea but might've been written better.

[Ebowed]

Nay

[Jake]

I really see no reason to have this bill in the current form. Simply giving the power to close the booth to the President, VP, SoFA, DSoFA, and PPT would solve the problem.

[Q]

Abstain for now.  I remain unconvinced.

[Defarge]

Abstain.  Agree with DanielX, I like this in principle, but to legislate all of this seems unnecessary.